Page 87 of A Letter to the Last House Before the Sea

‘Sorry, Buster,’ she told the dog, almost in tears. ‘I’ve really cocked this one up.’

Suddenly, a flash of orange caught Lettie’s eye. A boat was surging through the waves. She started waving her arms before realising, dejectedly, that there was no way the large boat could get close to the rocks without being dashed against them. Then she realised it was the lifeboat. Simon must have made an emergency call.

A sense of hope swirled through her. Maybe she and Buster would be OK.

The boat approached but didn’t come in near to the rocks. Then a smaller orange lifeboat appeared. It was tossed in the seas and the water surged as it got closer, drenching her legs again. Two men, dressed in yellow and wearing red life jackets, were in the smaller craft and as they got near she saw that one of them was Corey.

He jumped out of the boat as it reached the rocks and almost slipped on the wet stone but righted himself.

‘Are you all right?’ he asked, clambering up to her. His words were almost drowned out by the roar of the sea behind him.

When Lettie nodded, too cold and terrified to speak, Corey put his arm around her shoulders and Lettie leaned into him. He seemed so big and reassuring in the midst of a crazy, scary world. Surely everything would be OK now he was here?

A sudden rush of water covered the ledge where she and Buster were sitting, soaking them both.

‘Come on,’ said Corey in her ear, pushing a lifejacket over her head and fastening it. ‘We have to go because the tide’s still rising and this ledge will soon be totally gone. Hold on to Buster and I’ll hold on to you.’

She clung on to the dog, who whimpered against her chest as Corey put his arms around her and walked her towards the raging sea.

‘You’ll be fine,’ he murmured in her ear when she hesitated.

She was in the swirling water again but this time she wasn’t alone. Corey half dragged, half carried her to the waiting boat which was being pushed backwards and forwards by the momentum of the waves. She couldn’t get into the boat. She didn’t have the energy, but Corey pushed until the other man was able to drag her and Buster into the craft, and Corey followed.

She was safe! The embarrassment she’d normally feel at causing such a fuss was overwhelmed by the sheer relief of knowing that today was not her day to die.

Lettie closed her eyes for a moment and pulled the blanket she’d been given tighter around her. She was starting to warm up but the buffeting of the boat as it powered through the waves made her feel sick.

‘What were you thinking?’ asked Corey, patting Buster, who was covered in a blanket and lying at Lettie’s feet. ‘One minute you’re terrified of the sea and the next you’re choosing to go into the water. On a day like today, that’s madness.’

Lettie’s eyes filled with tears at Corey’s harsh tone. ‘I couldn’t let him drown,’ she told him, gently rubbing Buster’s head with her foot and thinking of Esther in her flat, twenty miles away. ‘He’s all that Claude’s got.’

Corey looked at her silently for a moment before covering her hand with his. ‘That must have taken courage.’

‘I didn’t really have time to think about it. Simon had more sense and wouldn’t come in with me.’

‘For once, he did the right thing and called us. But then, after making a call for help, he watched while you got swept away.’

‘You’ve already said I was foolish to get in the water. Would you have come in to save me?’

‘Without hesitation.’ Corey’s eyes bored into Lettie’s and she suddenly knew for sure that yes, even though it was beyond foolish, he would have waded into the churning sea for her. Lettie’s heart fluttered and she smiled at him before closing her eyes again.